OSCE Mission co-sponsors anti-corruption campaign in Kosovo
(OSCE Design)"Corruption ends with you! Report corruption cases to the Anti-Corruption Agency" is the slogan of a campaign co-sponsored by the OSCE in Kosovo, which was was launched in Pristina on 11 December 2006, Albanian and Serbian version. (OSCE Design)
PRISTINA, 11 December 2006 - A public information campaign calling on people to help increase transparency and fight corruption was launched today in Kosovo by the OSCE Mission, the United Nations Development Programme and the Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency.
The campaign's aim is to motivate the public to report corruption to the Agency and change the negative perception that not much can be done to counter corruption in Kosovo.
Its slogan is "Corruption ends with you! Report corruption to the Anti-Corruption Agency".
Speaking at a press conference that kicked off the campaign, Ambassador Werner Wnendt, Head of the OSCE Mission, said: "Apart from the Government, the people of Kosovo have an important role to play in the fight against corruption."
"With the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Agency, the public has received an instrument it can use to report corruption and take the first steps."
The Agency became operational in July this year, and the campaign is its first call for public support. The media campaign will last for two weeks and will include TV spots, leaflets and billboards.
Hasan Preteni, the Agency's Director, said: "The vision of the Agency is to become an attentive ear to the public and an advisory body to the Government."
The agency will receive information from the public and use it as an indictor of corruption sources. It will also review governmental practices and report on its findings to the Assembly of Kosovo and the executive branch of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government. Finally, it will advise law enforcement agencies, including the Office of the Prosecutor.
"To do this we will need Kosovo's public to co-operate with us. All calls to the Agency are confidential," said Mr. Preteni.
Martins Hildebrants, UNDP's Deputy Resident Representative, said: "Transparent practices are key to a well-functioning government. The more transparent the Government, the less the chances for corruption."
"I want to emphasize how important the role of the media is in keeping Government under scrutiny, and I invite them to join this campaign," he added.
As part of the campaign, the three agencies have announced the winners of a journalism award for the best transparency and anti-corruption reports published between Anti-Corruption Day, 9 December 2005 and 2006.
The campaign's aim is to motivate the public to report corruption to the Agency and change the negative perception that not much can be done to counter corruption in Kosovo.
Its slogan is "Corruption ends with you! Report corruption to the Anti-Corruption Agency".
Speaking at a press conference that kicked off the campaign, Ambassador Werner Wnendt, Head of the OSCE Mission, said: "Apart from the Government, the people of Kosovo have an important role to play in the fight against corruption."
"With the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Agency, the public has received an instrument it can use to report corruption and take the first steps."
The Agency became operational in July this year, and the campaign is its first call for public support. The media campaign will last for two weeks and will include TV spots, leaflets and billboards.
Hasan Preteni, the Agency's Director, said: "The vision of the Agency is to become an attentive ear to the public and an advisory body to the Government."
The agency will receive information from the public and use it as an indictor of corruption sources. It will also review governmental practices and report on its findings to the Assembly of Kosovo and the executive branch of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government. Finally, it will advise law enforcement agencies, including the Office of the Prosecutor.
"To do this we will need Kosovo's public to co-operate with us. All calls to the Agency are confidential," said Mr. Preteni.
Martins Hildebrants, UNDP's Deputy Resident Representative, said: "Transparent practices are key to a well-functioning government. The more transparent the Government, the less the chances for corruption."
"I want to emphasize how important the role of the media is in keeping Government under scrutiny, and I invite them to join this campaign," he added.
As part of the campaign, the three agencies have announced the winners of a journalism award for the best transparency and anti-corruption reports published between Anti-Corruption Day, 9 December 2005 and 2006.